17 areas under Signal 2 as Egay intensifies steadily

Sixteen areas in Luzon and one in the Visayas were placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2 on Monday afternoon as Typhoon Egay intensified further while it was 500 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora at 4 p.m.

According to state weather bureau PAGASA's 5 p.m. bulletin, Egay was moving north-northwestward at 10 kilometers per hour with maximum sustained winds of 155 kph near the center, gustiness of up to 190 kph, and central pressure of 955 hPa.

Signal No. 2 was hoisted over the following areas:

Luzon

• Catanduanes,
• eastern portion of Albay (Rapu-Rapu, Bacacay, City of Tabaco, Malilipot, Malinao, Tiwi),
• northern portion of Camarines Norte (Calaguas and Maculabo Islands),
• eastern portion of Camarines Sur (Caramoan, Presentacion, Garchitorena, Lagonoy, San Jose, Sagñay),
• Isabela,
• northern and central portions of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao),
• Quirino,
• Cagayan including Babuyan Islands,
• Apayao,
• Kalinga,
• central and eastern portions of Mountain Province (Paracelis, Natonin, Barlig, Sadanga, Bontoc),
• eastern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Kasibu, Quezon, Diadi, Bagabag),
• eastern portion of Ifugao (Alfonso Lista, Aguinaldo, Mayoyao, Lagawe, Banaue, Hingyon, Lamut),
• central and eastern portions of Abra (Tineg, Lacub, Malibcong, Lagangilang, San Juan, Dolores, Lagayan, Danglas, La Paz, Daguioman, Boliney, Bucloc, Licuan-Baay, Sallapadan, Tayum, Bucay, Bangued, Peñarrubia, Manabo, Tubo),
• Ilocos Norte
• Batanes

Visayas

• The northeastern portion of Northern Samar (Laoang, Palapag)

PAGASA said areas under Signal No. 2 would experience 62 to 88 kilometer per hour wind speeds in the next 24 hours. Wind impacts may result in minor to moderate threats to life and property.

Meanwhile, the following areas were under Signal No. 1:

Luzon

• Sorsogon,
• Masbate including Ticao Island,
• Burias Island,
• the rest of Albay,
• the rest of Camarines Sur,
• the rest of Camarines Norte,
• the rest of Abra,
• the rest of Mountain Province,
• the rest of Ifugao,
• the rest of Nueva Vizcaya,
• Quezon including Pollilo Islands,
• the rest of Aurora,
• Benguet,
• locos Sur,
• La Union,
• Pangasinan,
• Nueva Ecija,
• Tarlac,
• Zambales,
• Bataan,
• Bulacan,
• Pampanga,
• Metro Manila,
• Rizal, Cavite,
• Laguna,
• Marinduque,
• central and eastern portions of Romblon (Banton, Corcuera, Romblon, Magdiwang, Cajidiocan, San Fernando)
• and the northern and central portions of Batangas (Calaca, Cuenca, Taysan, Lian, Tuy, Balayan, Talisay, Padre Garcia, Agoncillo, Santo Tomas, San Jose, Lemery, Lipa City, Ibaan, City of Tanauan, Mataasnakahoy, Alitagtag, Balete, Nasugbu, San Juan, San Nicolas, Rosario, Laurel, Santa Teresita, Taal, Malvar)

Visayas

• Eastern Samar,
• the rest of Northern Samar,
• Samar,
• Biliran,
• the northern and central portions of Leyte (Tunga, Pastrana, San Miguel, Mahaplag, Matag-Ob, Tolosa, Palo, Calubian, Leyte, Mayorga, Julita, Carigara, Babatngon, Dagami, Jaro, Abuyog, San Isidro, Santa Fe, Albuera, Villaba, La Paz, Palompon, Macarthur, Tabontabon, Tanauan, Merida, Ormoc City, Isabel, Javier, Dulag, Capoocan, Alangalang, City of Baybay, Burauen, Tabango, Tacloban City, Kananga, Barugo)
• and the northern portion of Cebu (Daanbantayan, Medellin) including Bantayan Islands,
• Camotes Islands

Strong winds with speeds ranging from 39 to 61 kph may prevail in areas under Signal No. 1 within the next 36 hours. Wind impacts may also result in minimal to minor threats to life and property.

Strong to typhoon-force winds extend outwards up to 600 kms from Egay's center.

"Egay may also enhance the Southwest Monsoon, bringing occasional to monsoon rains over the western portions of Central Luzon, Southern Luzon, and Visayas in the next three days," PAGASA said.

"Egay is forecast to cross the Luzon Strait and make landfall or pass very close to the Babuyan Islands-Batanes area between... late evening [Tuesday] and Wednesday morning," the weather bureau said.

Egay will most likely continue to intensify and reach super typhoon category by late Tuesday or early Wednesday.

Storm surge, coastal waters

PAGASA warned there was a minimal to moderate risk of a storm surge of up to 3.0 m in height, which may cause flooding in the low-lying and exposed coastal areas of Batanes, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and Isabela.

A Gale Warning was in effect over the coastal waters along the seaboards of Northern and Southern Luzon, the eastern seaboard of Central Luzon, seaboards of the Visayas and Northeastern Mindanao due to Egay.

PAGASA said sea travel was risky for small seacraft. Larger vessels operating in gale conditions must have experienced crews, and these vessels must be properly equipped. — DVM, GMA Integrated News